don't buy a lifetime sub the content releases for sto are crap, most of us have been stuck with mostly the same content and stale gameplay since launch, i made the mistake of buying the £200 lifetimers which i full regret.

In the games present state id also advice from making purchases of the lockboxes they are pure money grabbing things with a super rare item drop rate of about 1 in 10000. usually you end up with some crappy useless pistol etc.

Hmm I can entirely agree or disagree about not getting the life time subscription. If you don't get it...you are stuck with two character slots that you can only increase with zen. Most of the game though is unlocked for you...what you wont get is more character slots...but also wont have access to the foundry for player made missions and wont have access to the test servers which give events that give you items that you cant get normally.

Now as for some real tips. I would not just play once...but try multiple characters, as each race and proffesion will alter the game play and the way things happen. Many players who only play for free or have some one level them with out trying don't know this. As its not something openly told to players.

Also when you do play notice you can open up the main missions box with the J key.....and look at the episodes....you can select an episode and see what it will reward you once you unlock it.....which can be helpful later in the game if you want specific items. All rewards are given to you at your level...so this can be a good thing if you want say some bio-neural warheads....instead othe typical quantum or photon or polarion, etc.

Another tip....if you fight borg...don't forget you can make yourself a special device to make your weapons do full damge if they assimilate your weapon damage.

Another tip....when you choose your ship...try to use one that fits your fighting style you want....in this case don't try to outfit cannon in say something that cant turn very well....also don't take powers and consoles for things your don't have or don't use.

And another tip....if you see a ship or something someone else has that maybe you want...ask them how they got it....its a lot more fun getting items yourself...of course many players buy form other players...

Don't forget there are wiki sites for the game.

Always remember there is no one right way to do things...no matter what other players tell you...there are multiple ways...of course some of those ways do take practice and skill to master. While other ways don't take one bit of skill....but there is no one ultimate build or ultimate way to do things.

Yes this game try's to get you to use zen....but you can get zen with dilithium which is fairly easy to get.And when someone says it takes so much dilithium.....and that's way too much and start whining....remember there is a mission inthis game....I have persoanly done it over 10 times that rewards you with after the 30 minutes of doing it....over 585,000 dilithium...refined dilithium....you need to have some reputation up some levels to access it....but its there...

You can easily figure out who bought or power leveled with out playing much...as they always whine about the zen or dilithium because they have no clue about the rest fo the game play they happened to skip.

The person above me.....is one such player...because ofhte comments about how nothing has changed.....

A lot has changed in this game since it began....so much so....it would take a very long time to listOh and now you can play a romulan....so go figure if you like that then there is something else to do....you can start now as a level one K****** or Starfleet or romulan now.....the next group is being worked on....as to what it is....go figure if I know.....the developers have not said yet.

@PlageronI have leveled up a number of toons to vice admiral. As have my friends and the members of my fleet. None of us can find this dilithium mission of which you speak, the one that rewards you with a half million refined dilithium. Anyone who reads this post, and certainly my fleet, friends and I would be very appreciative if you could give us the specific details on what mission you are referring to and how/where to obtain it. Thanks in advance for your time.